Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs in Newborns and Infants.

Jacob V Aranda, Fabrizio Salomone, Gloria B Valencia, Kay D Beharry

Journal: Pediatric clinics of North America 2017;64(6):1327-1340

PMID: 29173788

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen are used in young infants and newborns for pain and fever control, patent ductus closure, prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage, and potentially for prevention of retinopathy of prematurity. These drugs inhibit cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1), COX-2, and peroxidases, thus, blocking prostaglandin (PG) synthesis. PGs are eicosanoids that regulate several physiologic, pathologic, and cellular processes, including vasomotor tone, platelet aggregation, sensitization of neurons to pain, and many molecular events critical to physiologic homeostasis. NSAIDs inhibit caspases and cell death. Increasing knowledge of these molecular entities may allow targeted drug development to prevent or minimize neonatal morbidities.

Address: State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 49, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].; Neonatology and Pulmonary Rare Disease Unit, Corporate Pre-Clinical R and D, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A, Largo Belloli 11/A, Parma IT-43122, Italy.; State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 49, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.

DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2017.08.009